Apparatus for automatic expulsion of worked articles from stamping power presses



Sept. 6, 1932. v z zz 1,876,161

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC EXPULSION OF WORKED ARTICLES FROM STAMPING POWER PRESSES Filed July 7, 1931 D aaasav-aL. v

Patented Sept. 6, i932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noimro znzznnlg; or r'mrnns, ITALY APPARATUS FOR 'AUironATIo ExrnLsIoN or woraxnn ARTICLES FROM STAMPING V rowan ranssns Application filed July 7, 1981, Serial. No; 549,263, and in Italy June 5, 1931.

It is well known that expulsion of stamped articles from the power presses may be effected by a blast of compressed air directed through a suitably shaped nozzle on the article soas to remove same from.thedie and direct it to the usual discharge chutes and collecting receptacles.

There are mainly two groups of systems.

now used, one of whichcomprises those in m which'the stamping press has connected thereto a small cylinder in which a, piston operated by the ram of the press compresses at each.revolution ofthe crank-shaft a certain quantity of air which passes directly to the nozzle, whilst the second comprises those mental work is imposed into the press for opcrating the piston which impairs the. working condition of the pressthe supplemental work requiring agreater energy and a greater braking power, and in certain cases a continuous jet may be necessary which the sys tem is-incapable of producing, whilst in the second system only an intermittent jet may be obtained throughthe valve, and for obtaining a continuous jet the valve must be disinserted from the compressed air conduit by connecting the latter directly to the expulsion nozzle, which oftentimes is difiicult and always involves loss of time.

Furthermore in neither of the said systems 49 there is any possibility of varying with no limitations the moment in which the jet, is to start so as to be more efficient. My present improved apparatus subject matter of invention aims at vremoving the said drawbacks, and is shown by way of ex! amplein one of its modifications inthe anneXed drawing Where:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and front views respectively of an ordinary power press indicated'in dotted lines, to which my improved apparatus is applied as shown in full lines;

i ilrig. 3 shows the driving ring in elevation, an

Fig. 4 in cross section, whilst Figs. 5 and 6 arerespectively a section and elevation of my special air valve.

-The apparatus is applicable wherever exists a pressure air plant, which is nowadays a verycommon thing even in small factories.

My new apparatus comprises two mainparts: a'drive ring, Figs. .3 and 4, adapted for being keyed to the end of the crank-shaft opposite the end where theflywheel is mounted, and an air stopping valve, Figs. 5 and 6, carried by an arm fixed to the frame of the power press, Figs. 1 and 2.

The drive ring comprises a iron body 1 having central cylindric bore 2 of a diameter corresponding to that of the end of the press shaft to which it is to be applied.

The body of the ring has on the face to be mounted from without relatively to the press a circular peripheral step 3 which is not continuous but interrupted by a plane face 4t on-which by means of a couple of screws 5 a piece of case hardened-or hardened steel- 6 is mounted which forms by its outline a projection on the circular outline of the above said peripheral step 3.

To the outer face of body 1 also a ring. 7 of stamped and hardened steel is applied, of a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the castiron body.

Ring 7 fixed byscrews 8 closes the step so as to convert-same into a groove limited at both sides.

The central bore is not continuous for th whole thickness of the body but goes only about halfway through the thickness, and

circular castfrom the inner side, namely the one to be mounted towards the press, shows a sem1c1rcular hollow or recess 9 the outer wall of which is conical and coaxial to the bore.

Within the said recess a ring segment 10 is mounted the inner surface of which is arcuate, with a radius corresponding to that of the press shaft, whilst its outer surface is conical with a conicity corresponding to that of the recess in the body portion.

This conical ring segment is fixed by a pair of screws II and serves for locking the ring on the press shaft. In fact by tight ening the screws ll, owing to the opposition of the two conical surfaces, the segment acts as a wedge and is compelled tot-ightly adhere to the surface of the shaft, whereby a very eflicient lock is effected.

The other part of the apparatus is the air valve, Fig. 5, comprising a cast-iron body in which the seat is at the top, and disk 15 with conical closing ring is provided with a stem 12 projecting from the top of the valve body.

Air is admitted through the lower port 16 and keeps the disk against its seat and cannot escape. On the stem being lowered by outer pressure the air is emitted from port 14:.

The apparatus works as follows:

The valve carried on an arm 18, Fig. 6, is fixed to the frame of the power press opposite to that where the flywheel is, Figs. 1 and 2, in such a way that the stem of the valve is below the projecting end of the crank-shaft and at right angles to same at such a distance that the stem in its projecting position is engaged with its end in the groove of the ring mounted on the extension of the shaft, without, however, touching its bottom, Figs. 5 and 6.

The ring is fixed to the shaft at such a distance from the frame that the stem engages the groove, as above said, and is so positioned that the projecting part 6 in the stroke of the press lowers the stem thereby opening the valve at the moment in which the air jet is needed for the expulsion of the work pieces.

Qn replacing the die with another needing the air jet at a different moment of the stroke it will be sufficient to loose the looking screws II and rotate the ring on itself through a suitable angle.

If the duration of thejet is to be different it is sufficient to replace the hardened piece 6 with another of suitable outline such as to give a shorter or longer jet according to want.

If, on the other hand, instead of the intermittent jet a continuous one is needed, as is sometimes the case, for instance when cutting pieces from strips, bars or sheets of stock, so that the jet has no action on the stock but is only adapted for expelling the cut pieces, and similar cases, it is sufiicient to loosen the locking screws 11, and close, in the air conduit, a cock placed before the valve, owing to which the stem of the valve re-enters, shift the ring on the shaft parallelly to itself until the shoulder of the outer ring is opposite the stem of the valve, and lock the ring in that position.

By opening the air cock the stem of the valve is kept lowered at any movement of the stroke of the stamping press, and therefore the air jet is continuous.

My improved system furthermore affords the greatest safety from accidents, both because the operator needs not put his hand between the parts of the die for extracting the finished work pieces, and because the end of the valve stem is enclosed in the groove or in engagement with the shoulder of the ring, and there is no possibility of depressing same by hand.

The advantages of my above described inventionmay be summed up as follows:

Possibility of having an intermittent jet starting at any moment of stroke,

Possibility of having a continuous jet,

Sure locking of ring on shaft without dam aging the latter as would be the case with set screws or the like,

Safety from accidents, and

Greater rapidity of production owing to the expulsion of finished work pieces being rapid and sure.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for pneumatically expelling stamped articles from a press including in combination with the drive shaft of the press, a ring fixed to the drive shaft of the press and provided with a peripheral cam and also having a smooth cylindrical sur-' face arranged in juxtaposed relation to the cam, an independent compressed air supply pipe associated with the press, a valve casing interposed within the pipe, a valve in eluding a head operating in the casing for controlling the passage of compressed air thereto, a stem projecting from the casing, and means for adjusting the position of the ring on the shaft so that either the cam 01'' the smooth surface will actuate the valve stem, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring is provided with a circular peripheral groove, and a contact piece forming the cam secured in the bottom of the groove and determining by its outline the duration of the jet.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smooth cylindrical surface consists of a separate ring secured to the outer periphery of the drive ring to one. Side of the cam.

p 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the position of the ring of the shaft includes the provision of a recess in the ring body having a conical peripheral Wall, a segment insertable in'the recess and provided with a complemental conical Wall, and screws for fastening the segment to the ring and which cause a binding action of the segment on the shaft subsequent to the desired positioning of the ring.

In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto signed my name. 7

' DONATO ZAZZARA'. 

